Once again, in order to encourage people to use public transit and not drive on New Year's Eve, SF Muni buses and trains will be free to ride on the evening of December 31.

Don't party and drive this New Year's in SF! And if you don't want to pay sky-high surge pricing on Ubers, Lyfts, and Waymos, you may want to consider hopping a bus or Muni train for free.

As is customary, the SFMTA is again offering free rides on Tuesday evening, December 31, in addition to extra service on popular lines, and extra Owl service for wee-hour travels home. See all the details here, on the SFMTA site.

The free rides begin at 8 pm on December 31, and extend through 5 am on January 1. But do not tag your Clipper card or phone getting on the train or bus, or entering gates at a station, because you will be charged if you do that.

Stations will also be open later, and extra S-Shuttle trains will run between West Portal Station and 4th & King, and between Chinatown and 3rd & Mariposa, between 10 pm and 2 am. The final trains will leave each end of these lines at 2 am, and stations will close at 2:15 am.

While many people ride trains and buses for free in SF, opting not to pay, the SFMTA has stepped up enforcement in recent months, with more agents boarding buses and trains to check for proof of payment, and issuing tickets to those who don't have it. On New Year's Eve, though, those agents will have the night off.

BART will still be charging full fares that night.

The City of San Francisco will again be sponsoring a fireworks show at mignight on New Year's, which will be visible from the Embarcadero south of the Ferry Building — this is different from the July 4th fireworks that happen near Fisherman's Wharf.

Photo via SFMTA